Air-brake for railroad-trains.



, n/1. A. CULUNG. AIR BRAKE FOR RAILROAD TRAINS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I2. 1917.

f@ l Patented Aug. 20, 19ML www@ lll um mm- Specification of Letters tatent.

'To alla@ kom 'it may concern Bei-t lrnovvn that l, lilliinniir fr. 'Centrum a citizenjoif the United States, residing at Louisiana, Missouri9 have invented a certain nevv and useful improvement in. Air-Brakes i'oi ltailroadflrains, of which the following pending application of Ernest D. Finley 'for air brake for railroad trains, Serial No.,

186,708filed August 17, 1917.

The main object of my invention. is tok provide an eiiicient device ot simple construction that can be easily attached to an Sli . eXhaust valve bein titl air brake system for railroad trains so as to insure the release of the braises, even though the triple valve sticks or tails to .operate when the pressure in the train pipe is increased to edect the release of the brakes.

lligure l of the drawings is a diapr'ai'nn matic view, illustrating an air braise sys teni for railroad trains equipped with a de` vice constructed in accordance ,with my iiivention; I

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional vievv of my device; andy Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the exhaust valve. y

ln .the air bralre system described in the lfinley application previously referred to!y a valve separate and distinct trom. the usual triple valve is provided. for governing the exhaust ot air :tronrtheloralre cylinder,.said controlled by the pres sure in the train pipe. Said exhaust valve normally occupies such a position that coinn niunication is established between the in tei-ier of the brake cyliiider'and the atmosphere or an exhaust pipe and means is provided for inovingsaid exhaust valve into its closed position whenever the pressure in the train pipe is reduced to set ,the brakes. When the pressure in the train pipe is thereafter increased so as to release the braises said exhaust valve moves automatically into its open osition, thus permitting the air.y to escape rroni the bralrecylinder, cveii operate. My invention consists of a de vice constructed in such. manner that it can,

. for example, vvhen the train is travcli L be easily applied to an air brake systeni and provided with an.l ei'licicnt exhaust valve and an eiiicient nie-ans for actuat d said valve to nieve it into its open and into its closed position.

.Referring to the drawings which illusu trate an air brake systeni oit the kind ncrv iii general use equipped with. a device constructcd in accordance with niy irivention .l designates a brake cylinder, li an aus:u iliary air tank, CA a triple valve which causes air to pass from the air tank B into the brake cylinder and tlius operate the hralres whenever the pressure in the train pipe D is reduced under ordinary operating conditions, and also .causes air to .escape troni saidhrake cylinder Whenever the pressure in the train pipe is increased, said system also comprising a pressure retaining1 valve E that is adapted to he operated hy the hrakeman so as to retain sutlicieiit pressure inthe brake cylinder to hold the bralres partially set under certain conditions, "s

down a long grade. lThe elements alcove i' ifeired to areloi3 Well lrnoivn construction and form no part oit my present invention.

liv/ily invention consists in a device, riesig nated as an entirety by the reference chan acter F which is combined with' the train pipe D and Athe brake cylinder A. in such a manner that it is impossible 'for air to he come trapped in the brake cylinder,`and thus hold the brakes set, in case the triple valve C sticks when the pressure in the train pipe D. is increased. Said device F comprises a .body portion 1 provided with an exhaust chamber Q'that is connected hy ineaiis oi' a pipe 3 with the brake cylinder A at a point behind the'pistoii in said brake cylinderu .i ...fia

valve l that is mounted in the eiihaust chamber 2 governs the discharge oit air troni said chamber into an exhaust pipe that may lead either to the atmosphere or to tha-if usual exhaust pipe 5 that is combined with the pressure-ietaining valve and the triple valve. The device l is provided with. means fortunseating the exhaust valve d: and holding it in its open position, which in ns consists ofa piston ti reciproca 4ingly inountn ed in a cylinder 7 in the body portion .l the device ll and provided with a stein t5 that engages the stein oit the exhaust valve and nieves said valve into its openposition when the vpressure in the train. D

iesl

, 7 being Connected by means of a pipe 9 with the train pipe D. The exhaust valve 4 is moved in the opposite direction, namely, to seat or close said valve by means of a spring 10 and the piston 6 is moved in the opposite direction when the pressure in the train pipe is reduced' by means of a spring 11.

- The body portion 1 of the device F is preferably formed from a single piece of metal having longitudinally-extending bores formed in same to constitute the exhaust chamber 2 and the cavity for the cylinder 7 in which the piston 6 is reciprocatingly mounted, said chamber and cavity being,`

separated from each other by'means of a transverselydisposed partition 12 that serves as a guide for the stem 8 of the piston 6. The opposite ends of the body portion lof the device are closed by caps 13, each of' which is provided with an externally screw-threaded portion 13a that is screwed into said body portion and an internally screw-threaded portion 13b that serves as a connection for the pipe'that leads to the end of the body portion which thecap closes. The exhaust valve 4 is provided with a tapered portion that fits snugly in a tapered seatW-preferably formed in a brass bushing 14, that is mounted in the body portion 1 ofjthe device, as shown in Fig. 2, and the stein-15 of said exhaust valve is made substantially crucifo'rm-shape in cross section, so as to permit the air to escape from the exhaust chamber 2 when said valve is opened. 1n order to restrict the passage of the escaping air so that the'brakes will not be released too suddenly when `the pressure vin the train pipe is increased, 1 provide thev valve 4 with a disk-shaped portion 4a that is forced into the bushing- 14 when the plunger 8 is moved to the left, said disk-shaped portion having a small aperture or notch 4b therein through which the exhaust airis permitted to escape slowly. The springv 10'previously referred to that moves the valve into its closed position is interposed `between the top face of the valve and the cap'13 that forms a closure for the exhaust chamber 2, said spring being held centered by means of a projection 16 on the exhaust valve. cylinder 7 previously referred to in Which the piston 6 kis reciprocatingly mounted is preferably formed by a cylindrical-shaped member 17 constructed of brass or other suitable material that1 is set in the body portion 1 of the device, and the spring 11 which moves the piston 6in one direction is interposed betweensaid piston and the partition 12 that separates the tpvo bor. s in the body portion 1 of the device, The piston 6 may be of any preferred construction and the cap. 13 which forms a closur for the cylinder in which said piston is lounted is preferably provided With inwarf ly-projecting 'lugs The 13 that serve as stops which limit the outward movement of said piston.

When the train is running along under normal conditions the piston 6 occupies such a position that the stem 8 of same bears against the stem of the exhaust valve 4, and thus holds said valve open. When the pressure in the train pipe D is reduced to set the brakes, the piston 6 moves tothe right, looking at Fig. Q, under the influence of the spring 11, and thus permits the spring 10 to move the exhaust va ve 4into its closed position, thereby cutting oit' communication between the brake cylinder and the exhaust pipe 5. When the ,pressure in the train pipe D is thereafter increased to release the brakes, the piston 6 moves in the opposite direction, namely, to the left, and the stem on said piston engages the stem of the exhaust valve 4 yand moves said exhaust valve into its open position, thereby permitting the air to escape from the brake cylinder, even though the triple valve C sticks or fails to operate.

A device of the construction above described ca'nbe applied easily to aix' brake systems'for railroad trains, owing to the fact that the exhaust valve 4 andthe piston 6 that moves said valve into its open position are both carried by a single unit that can be connected with the train pipe and the brake cylinder by means of pipes that arescrewed into the o posite ends of said unit. The exhaust valve 4 is of such form that it will not wear out, and thus permit the air to leak out of the brake cylinder, after the device has been in use for a long period, and the piston is of such form and is combined with the exhaust valve in such a manner that there is little liability of its failing to op- 105 erate roperly when the device is in use.

In ad ition to the desirable features above pointed out, my improved device can be manufactured cheaply and it is of such rugged design that it can be used for a long period 110 without repair or replacement of any of the parts of same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure. by Letters Patent, is:

vl. Attachment for air brakes for railroad trains, consisting of a device that comprises a body ortion which has two bores formed longitu inally in same, said bores being separated from each other by a partition, caps screwed into the opposite ends oi said device so as to form closures for said bores, an exhaust valve in one of said bores provided With a tapered head that coperates with a tapered scat in said bore, a reciprocating piston mounted in the other bore and provided with a stem that passes through said partition and engages said valve when said piston moves in one direction, and springs cornblned wlth saldv plston'and valve for moving 130 ifemoee the piston in the opposite direction and for seating seid valve, seid oeps having internet screw threads for receiving pipes that conn neet the device with the train lpipe :ind with the brake cylinder of the system, end o cylindrical-shaped member set in oneoi the bores in the body portion so :is to form d cylinder for saidpiston.

2.- An attachment for air brake systems for railroad trains, consisting of e, device comprising@ body portion hav1ng1ongitudinelly-extending bores formed in same, which bores are separated from each other by ineens of e partition, a bushing in one of sald bores provided with a, tapered vulve seat, o; cylin- @wtel et tmc It my In obtained for tion.,

driee member in the other bore that it'orins the side Welt of o cylinder, e springectuatted f that is reoprocetingly mounted in seid bushing, seid stem having edisk provided with an opening and a spring-pressed piston in seid cylinder provided with e stem that projects through the partition in yseid body portion and engages the stem of'said exhaust valve end moves it in e direction to unseat seid valve when seidpiston moves in one directuve centi enh, by nsldrellin the Gommieetener et retentit, Wnhlllhn, mw. ,l 

